There’s something to be said for a nice quiet walk along a lake. There is something about water which calms our souls and restores our connection with Mother Nature. Canandaigua is indeed fortunate to have Kershaw Park which sits along the northern edge of Canandaigua Lake. Kershaw Park and the City Pier are remnants of days gone by when steamboats plied the waters of Canandaigua Lake in the late eighteen hundreds or when the young people gathered on the shores of Canandaigua Lake to have some summer fun at the Roseland Amusement Park which used to reside there during the fifties and sixties.
It’s early spring and there are only a few folks taking a walk in Kershaw Park. The air is still very cold as most of Canandaigua Lake remains frozen. A few parents have brought their children to play on some of the playground equipment in the park. It’s an ideal spot to replace the stale air in your lungs with fresh air blowing over the frozen mass of ice water.
Perhaps these same children may some day return to the gazebo to celebrate their wedding day as it’s a perfect spot to mark new beginnings in one’s life. While the seasons of people’s lives change along with the seasons of the year, the Lake remains as a reminder of the beauty and permanence of this beautiful region.
The Developers have come once more to try to extract some gold from the swamp land which sits across from Kershaw Park. They want to erect buildings which will house a few wealthy people and to provide some stores which will service these people. But why not just leave the open space alone? Return the trees and the grass that were stripped from the land and add some sidewalks, a few street vendors, and some pavilions for a summer’s picnic or a little respite from the summer sun?
Man is never happy to leave things alone so that they can be enjoyed just as they are. Perhaps in another 100 years, the DEC will be planning on re- mediating the old buildings that used to stand on these beautiful shores of Canandaigua Lake and to return the shoreline to a more natural state for everyone’s enjoyment.
Man can never leave things alone if it benefits him monetarily. So many people still miss Roseland Park. And what about Steamboat Landing. Could they not have developed around Steamboat. The Hampton Inn will be a nice place for visitors but what about the locals that keep seeing their memory makers taken away.
Mary,
Thank you for your comment. There are other options. For example, let the developers re-develop Roseland Plaza with their plans for luxury condos and upscale stores. Canandaigua has always been a resort town. Even the birds go south for the winter! The local folks never did support Steamboat Landing. That’s why it is gone.
I am not a resident of your area. Several years ago the company I worked for assigned the Finger Lakes area to me. I always made it a point to buy a lunch and sit along the shore, eat and marvel at the beauty of the area. You are so fortunate to have such a beautiful area to walk, relax and meet friends. It would be tragic to spoil.Money talks, and it shouldn’t. The residents of your area have to organize and fight this, if you don’t you will loose it
David,
Thank you for your comment. I do not want to give the wrong impression. Kershaw Park, the area right along the northern end of the lake, will be maintained. The area that is to be developed comprises of approximately 50 acres and resides on the northern side of Lake Shore Drive. It was in this area that there used to be a trailer park, several restaurants, and a Party House. The City of Canandaigua “owns” this area and has sold it to some developers.
Of course, the developers want public money and tax breaks to fund the development. It’s an on-going saga that has been playing out for 15 years since my wife and I moved here. Jim
Great sentiment but completely unrealistic. The public should inherit contaminated land and all the expense that goes along with the Brownfieled cleanup. And contrary to your comments, the city has NEVER owned this area. It has been privately owned for decades.
OK. I stand corrected on the ownership of the land north of Lake Shore Drive.